Chapter 20

The moment Francis and Kayden crossed into Moonlight Pack territory, they felt the weight of unfamiliar eyes on them. Every step they took seemed to make the air heavier, charged with a mix of welcome and warning. They were intruders here, strangers in a place where every scent and sound carried a warning. But nothing could deter them. They prowled the land, their wolves on edge, noses twitching, searching for any trace of Malinda. She couldn't have gone far. She couldn't have just walked away from them like this.

Just as doubt started to creep in, they saw her. Malinda. She was walking through a clearing, laughing as she strolled alongside a tall, dark-haired man, his presence radiating authority, unmistakably Alpha. But what stopped them in their tracks wasn't just the man. It was the way Malinda looked, different. There was a softness in her expression they'd never seen before. A calmness that made her seem… changed.

Kayden's voice cut through the silence, thick with disbelief. "That's her," he muttered, eyes narrowing. "But who's this guy? And where's the Mateship Ceremony?"

Francis's jaw tightened, and a growl rumbled from his chest. "She's bonded," he whispered, almost choking on the words. He could smell it, the unmistakable scent of a newly-mated pair, the raw connection of two wolves bound under the moon. Malinda hadn't just left. She'd mated with another Alpha.

"Are you kidding me?" Kayden's voice cracked with betrayal, icy anger seeping through his words. Without another word, they both stalked forward, rage building.

"Malinda!" Francis called out, his voice rough with confusion and hurt.

She turned, her expression shifting as her eyes met theirs. The calmness in her gaze only fueled their resentment.

"Francis. Kayden," she greeted them evenly, her voice steady. "What are you doing here?"

Kayden scoffed, disbelief twisting his face. "What are we doing here? Are you serious? You disappeared without a word, no explanation, and this is what we find? You're here, mated to… him?"

The man beside her, Damon, stood quietly, his gaze dark and stormy. Kayden and Francis barely registered him; their focus was on Malinda, and yet, Damon's silent strength filled the air. Malinda felt it, a steady pulse beside her own, a force she'd come to rely on.

"I didn't owe you an explanation," Malinda said, folding her arms over her chest. "My life isn't yours to control. I made my choice. You had no right to follow me here."

"No right?" Francis echoed, fury lighting his features. "You think we'd just let you walk away like that? You think we wouldn't come after you to figure out what the hell happened? We thought, " He glanced at Kayden, who was torn between anger and hurt. "We thought we meant more to you than this."

Malinda's eyes remained cold, her tone unwavering. "You did. You both meant everything to me. Once. But things changed when Sharon came into the picture, didn't they?"

Francis clenched his fists, his voice sharp with frustration. "So, this is some sort of revenge? You're just trying to make us jealous by throwing yourself at some random Alpha?"

Damon's expression darkened slightly, his patience wearing thin. But Malinda gave him a brief, reassuring glance, silently telling him to step back. He hesitated, but ultimately, he complied, standing just behind her, still a silent, protective force.

"I don't need to make anyone jealous," Malinda replied coolly. "I left to find stability. And I found it. I'm mated now. I'm with someone who actually values me."

Kayden's eyes flashed, his voice laced with bitterness. "Oh, so now we didn't value you?"

Malinda's gaze was sharp as steel. "Did you? The moment Sharon showed up, you both acted like I didn't even exist. Like all the years we spent together meant nothing. So yeah, I moved on. I found someone who would never make me feel like an afterthought."

Francis shook his head, his expression clouded with bitterness. "This isn't about Sharon. You just wanted out. Fine. But don't pretend you did it because we didn't care."

Malinda laughed, a short, humorless sound. "Always? Only when it was convenient for you." She glanced at Damon again, whose steady presence reminded her of everything she had now.

Kayden scoffed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You're mated to this guy, huh? Some random Alpha? And you think he's gonna give you what we couldn't? Pathetic."

Damon couldn't hold his patience any longer. He stepped forward, his voice low but laced with authority. "You don't know anything about her. And you don't know anything about me."

The force of his words made the air feel thicker, but Kayden and Francis refused to back down. Francis's jaw tightened, and he stepped forward, facing Damon head-on. "You think you're good enough for her?" he challenged. "We've known her our whole lives. Who the hell are you?"

Malinda's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "Enough." She looked between them, her eyes icy and unyielding. "This isn't your business anymore. I'm not a pawn in your game, and I'm not your consolation prize. You have no right to stand here and question my choices."

Kayden and Francis looked like they were about to explode with anger, convinced that this was all some sort of twisted game to make them feel something.

Kayden sneered. "Oh, I get it. You're just doing this to punish us, huh? Playing your little game with him. Let's see how long he sticks around once he realizes he's just a tool for your revenge."

Malinda's wolf stirred inside her, the anger seeping through her. "This isn't revenge. This is my life. And I chose it. Now leave."

But Kayden and Francis weren't finished. Kayden opened his mouth to retort, but Damon stepped forward again, his presence an immovable force.

"Enough," Damon commanded, his voice a low growl. His gaze flicked to his packmates, and within seconds, two wolves emerged from the trees, their expressions unreadable but resolute. "Escort them out of Moonlight territory," Damon ordered. "They're not welcome here."

Francis's face reddened, his fists clenched, but he knew better than to challenge the Alpha on his own land. Even if he didn't know Damon's true identity, the authority in his voice made it clear: this wasn't a fight he could win.